Automatic traffic signal for street crossings



Junev 14 p 1927 1,632,698

M. L. CRAWFORD AUTOMATIC TRAFFI SIGNAL FOR STREET CRSSINGS Filed' Aug;1, i924 3 sheets-sheet 1 ML.Cr-a ford' 14 1927. y June M. L.. CRAWFORDAUTOMATIC TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR STREET CROSSINGS Filed Aug. 1l 1924 y 5Sheets-Sheet 2 49""" STREET *lllllllll FlF'TH AVE M L Cr aWfor c(gwuenfoz n v14 1927. 1632 698 Ju e M. l.. CRAWFORD AUTOMATIC TRAFFICSIGNAL FOR STREET GBOSSINGS Filed Aug. 1. 1924 5 sheets-sheet@ JYI 5 e1z2 74. 4 4| 56 57 7a ray I I t Iwe M L. Crawford' lill/111111111111114'lllIlIIlllIl/III attains# Yao il Patented June 14, 1927; A Y' UNITED isniff-E51 MARQUIS LAFAYETTE cmiwronn, or. oscEoLA, .AREAivsiis;`

AUToMATic TRAFFIC SIGNAL Eon STREET -CROSSINGs i ii'ppiicaiionliedAugust i, i924; seriai massa It .is apurpose of the present invention^to provide, in an automatic trafiic signal forstreet crossings, amechanism, 'mechanically operated, for lturning the signal'fo-r displaying Go or Stop thereby doing away with a crossing policeman.

Another purpose is `,to providean'appara-` V'upon the vmaximum"amountof'traific pass.

v'ing the crossing. For instance, if the traffic is substantially'heavy,itis ,possible to adiusttheQmeehanism to'turnthe signal every minute anda halforgevery two. minutes, it

having been previously determined the" aniountko'fftme which mayberequired `to .zofperinit substantially heavy trafc to pass.

Howeveigfthe present' construction is designed to .permit the signal tochange apsproxiinately every minute.v 'Still another `purpose is theprovision of r an operating mechanism including an alarm to vbe soundedindicating that the signal will change immediately, thereby giving theop` 'ferators .of automobiles an opportunity ,to

y,prepare to proceed.

' ,and combinations ofparts to be hereinafter [set forth, shown, in thedrawings 'and claimed.'4 y

In the drawings:

vention. y

Figure 2 is a. diagrammatic view of a m the signal.-

shafts 48 and 49 which are yrotatable in opposite directions', and toaccomplish this, the shaft 49 has two grooved pulleys 50 and 50a and theshaft 48 a grooved pulley Y The invention comprises furtherfeatures:

- l "Each of thev shafts 48 lfigure 1 isa view in side elevation of anldisk 75 "constructed of insulating material,

'automatic traffic signal embodying the in` streetcrossing and theoperating parts of 531;y EThe pulley 59 isI connected tothe "pulroundbelt 52, while lthe pulley 50a is Voonnectedxby a `belt 53 to avcinotor54. Mounted win the casing lon pivots 55 are oscillating levers 5Gand57, th'e;r`e1`note ends of which Vcarry brackets 58 supporting pins 59,ad#

instable by means of the nutsGO." The pins 5 9 arethreadedgandadjustably Carry weights to be held in `set :positions by'setescjrews62. The weights may be adjusted or Ithe pins 59 may be adjusted. y

Also, the .remote ends of 'the' levers .56 and 57 vcarry 'rollers 63`whrich ride Aupon the' peripheries of disks 64 and 65. These diskshavesegmental cut-away 'portions'and 67. E

`l`ey-51'ofthe shaft48 by means of a twisted The 'disks `are sopositioned"that the cutaway portions will permit the levers `56` and 57to` alternately oscillate. The adjacent ends `of the' levers 56 and" 57terminate in cams 68 and "6,9 which cooperatewith a ro`ller k7() on onearm of a'segrnental lever 72l which has, a segment `gear face 73 meshing.'witli; a "pinion 74 .on asignal staff The yadjacent ends ofthe levers56 and 57 Mare positioned side by sideso that, lwhen vthe arm7l of thesegment lever in one direction, and when the lever 57 oscillates, itscam`69 will move vthe arm of the segment lever in the oppositedirection,thereby 'imparting an lever 56'osci'llates,its cam y68 will inoveftheVintermittentbacl `.and forth krocking movefy n ment to the signal staff.i

Vand carries a such as' hard rubber, provided with a metal band 76 onits hub having a groove 77. A collector ring 78 engages the groove andis, in turn, connected to. analarm bell 79. A.

ybrush 80 plays over the periphery of each been slet forth, what sus`bodying a turnable staff provided with signal blades bearing signalindicia, a lever having an operative connection with said staff forturning it first in one direction and then in the other upon rocking`movement being imparted to the lever, and a plurality of' gravityactuated levers operatively connected with the. lirst said lever forrocking the latter in opposite directions, and elevating means ior saidgravity actuated levers.

2. A traiiic signal tor street crossings embod ying a turnable stall"provided with signal blades hearing signal indicia, a lever having anoperative connection with said staff for turning it tirst in onedirection and then in the other upon rocking movement being imparted tothe lever, and a plurality of gravity actuated levers operativelyconnected with the first said lever for rocking the latter in oppositedirections, and elevating means Yfor said gravity actuated levers, saidgravity actuated levers being provided with Weights adjustable towardand aivay from their fulcrums.

3. A traiiie signal for street crossings embodying a turnable staffprovided with signal blades bearing signal indicia, a lever having anoperative connection with said staff for turning it tirst in onedirection and then in the other upon rocking movement being imparted tothe lever, and a plurality of gravity actuated levers operativelyconnected with the tiret said lever for rocking the latter in oppositedirections, and elevating means for said gravity actuated levers, saidgravity actuated levers having their fulcrums disposed in planes onopposite sides of the first said lever and the elevating meanscomprising 1'0- tatable disks With which the vremote extremities of saidgravity actuated levers have peripheral contact, said disks havingsectors removed to permit the remote extremities of the gravity actuatedlevers to drop.

Il. A tratiic signal for street crossings embodying a turnable statt1provided ivith signal blades bearing signal indicia, a lever having anoperative connection With said staff for turning` it first in onedirection and then in the other upon rocking` movementy being impartedto the level', and a plurality of gravity actuated levers operativelivconnected with the first said level' for rocking the latter in oppositedirections, and elevating means i'or said gravity actuated levers, saidgravity actuated levers havingr their lulcrums disposed in planes onopposite sides ol' the tirs-l. said lever and the elevating meanscomprising rotatable disks with which the remote extremities ot saidgravit-y actuated levers have peripheral contact. said disks havingsectors removed to permit the remote cX- tremities of the gravityactuated levers to drop.` the disks being operatively connected forsynchronous movement in opposite directions.

A traiiic signal for street crossings embodying a turnable stati`provided with signal blades bearing signal indicia, a lever havin;r anoperative connection with said statt for turning it first in onedirection and then in the other upon rocking movement being' imparted tothe lever, and a plurality ot gravity actuated levers operativelyconnected with the iirst said lever for rockingr the latter in oppositedirections, and elevatineIV means'for said `gravity actuated levers,said gravity actuated levers having their `,tulcrums disposed in planeson opposite sides ot the first said lever and the elevating meanscomprising rotatable disks with which the remote extremities of saidgravity actuated levers have peripheral contact. said disks havingsectors removed to permit the remote extremities ot the gravity actuatedlevers to drop, the disks beingl operatively connected for synchronousmovement in opposite directions and the cut-away portion ot the onehaving a lead, in its angular move ment, over the cut-away portion ofthe other.

In testimony whereof he atiixes his signature.

MARQUIS L. CRAlVFOlD.

